Mike Arroyo denies alleged involvement in WB road mess

(Updated 9:42 p.m.) MANILA, Philippines – Finally breaking his silence on the World Bank road projects mess, First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo on Tuesday denied his alleged links in bribery and collusion in the Bank's road projects in the country - findings that also resulted in the blacklisting of three Filipino firms. In an exclusive interview with GMA News, Mr. Arroyo belied the testimonies of witnesses cited in a World Bank report that he had to be bribed before contractors will be awarded road projects in the Philippines. "Of course not. It’s not true," Mr. Arroyo said in a chance interview with GMA News' Joseph Morong at St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC) in Quezon City where the First Gentleman undergoes a regular check-up. He also said he was “indignant” over the World Bank report, describing the accusation hurled against him as “hearsay.” “Naiinis ako. I feel indignant because those things are not true. They are only dragging my name. Hearsay lang ‘yan [That’s only hearsay],” Mr. Arroyo said. A WB report cited testimonies of witnesses saying that Mr. Arroyo and other government officials had to be bribed by contractors before they could participate in road projects. A witness also told WB probers that Eduardo de Luna, owner of blacklisted firm EC de Luna Construction Corp., enjoyed the backing of Mr. Arroyo. Mr. Arroyo’s camp had repeatedly denied the accusations, saying that excerpts of the WB report were “inconclusive." In the interview, Mr. Arroyo likewise said that he has to get his doctors’ approval first before he can attend the Senate economic affairs committee hearing slated on Thursday. “It depends on the doctors. I’m not sure yet," the First Gentleman said. Not associated with contractors The television report also quoted the First Gentleman as saying that he does not know any of the Chinese contractors that were interviewed by World Bank probers who came up with the report. The report said Mr. Arroyo admitted knowing Eduardo de Luna, but said he had not entered into any agreement with him. On Tuesday, the Philippine Daily Inquirer published the names of the witnesses in the World Bank report, which mentioned "confidential witnesses," who gave details of how the bid rigging supposedly worked. Among the witnesses named in the report were a certain Ms. Wee Eng; Pil Koo Kang, general manager of Heungwa’s Manila branch; Xu Quian, chief executive officer and general manager of China Water’s Manila branch; and Tomato Suzuka, president of Suzuka. The report likewise mentioned "confidential witnesses," who were only identified as CWO1 (a former government official), CWO4, CW05, and another person. In an earlier hearing of the Senate economic affairs committee, Senator Panfilo Lacson bared the contents of an appointments book of Mr. Arroyo in 2002 that indicated that the First Gentleman and de Luna met at least 20 times in that year alone. Lacson also described de Luna as the mystery man behind an alleged P70-million bribe try for a multibillion-peso infrastructure project. Lacson said the appointments book showed proof of the meetings between De Luna and Mr. Arroyo. But the camp of President Arroyo’s husband has since denied that the meetings ever occurred, adding that the appointments book cannot be admitted as evidence because of authenticity question. Witnesses belittled Earlier in the day, Mr. Arroyo’s lawyer Ruy Rondain belittled the list of witnesses cited in the WB report, saying that the names mean "nothing" until they see the WB report in its entirety. Rondain added that their statements may still be based on rumor and speculation. "It has no value because for all we know, some people may just be using the First Gentleman's name in all this, and this is something out of our control. The First Gentleman already asked people to report those dropping his name, and he will have them arrested," Rondain said in Filipino. Deposition While the First Gentleman’s doctors may advise him not to attend the Senate hearing on Thursday, the chair of the Senate economic affairs committee said Mr. Arroyo should prove that there is just cause for him to be absent from the inquiry. Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago said only after the First Gentleman is able to show proof that he cannot attend the hearing that she will grant a motion "to depose him". "If the First Gentleman proves that there is just cause for him to be excused from making personal appearance at the hearing, I will grant a motion to depose him. I will direct the Senate TV crew to preserve the process on video evidence. Thus, the video could be authenticated by the Senate cameraman," Santiago said. She said that if Mr. Arroyo prefers to submit evidence by means of deposition, he can choose whether the deposition should be made from oral or written questions. But Rondain earlier said that even a deposition may still be stressful for his client. "To me, giving a deposition is as stressful as appearing before the Senate because it will involve cross-examination. To me, a Senate appearance is almost the same as a deposition, the only difference being the venue," Rondain said in Filipino. But even if the camp of the First Gentleman is relying on the findings of his doctors, Lacson reminded Mr. Arroyo’s doctors that they have to observe the ethical code in determining if their patient is fit enough to attend Thursday's hearing. - With a report from Sophia Dedace, GMANews.TV